AEOIDE^, 549 



fleshy rhizome, juicy and white, seudiug off numerous thick 

 fleshy roots of a white colour. The leaves are on long petioles, 

 oblong", obtuse, entire coriaceous, large ; sheaths stipulary, 

 opposite the leaf; scapes axillary, solitary, compressed; sjoathe 

 longer than the scape, tubular at the base, attenuated into a 

 long^ slender apex; fruit compound^ about 1 inch in diameter; 

 seeds cyllndric-oblong, minute, several in each cell, erect from 

 the base. The plant is a native of Southern India, and is 

 considered to be very poisonous. Eheede says of it : 

 ''Balneum ex hac planta prseparatum omnem corporis asstum 

 reficit." 



Rheedo (xii., 9) states that the root of Bemiisafia riripara, 

 MSravara Tsjembu {MaL), Rukh-alu {M(7r.), is made into an 

 ointment with turmeric and used as a remedy for itch, 

 and that the juice with cow's urine is considered to be 

 alexipharmic. 



TACCA ASPERA, Ko^h. 



Hab. — Tropical India. The tubers. 



Vernacular, — ^^''arahi-kand {Hmd,^ J3^«^.), Dukar-kand {Mar,^ 

 Gnz\ Handi-gadde [Can,), 



History, Uses, &C. — This plant is the Varahi-kanda 

 or Sukara-kanda of the Nighantas, so called from its being a 

 favourite food of the wild boar. It is described as sweet, 

 digestive, nourishing and tonic; useful in cachectic affections, 

 such as leprosy, &c. T. asjpera, T. Icetis, and T. pmnaiijida all 

 tave tuberous roots, from which a starch resembling arrowroot 

 ^^ay be obtained, and all three plants are probably utilized by 

 the herbalists, who usually supply the coarsely prepared starch 

 to their customers. 



E)escription. The root is an oblong curved tuber, of a 



middling size, with wiry fibres from its sides; externally of a 

 dark^brown or blackish colour, and internally of a pale yellow- 

 ish white It has a bitter, nauseous taste. A full description of 



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